Health and safety guidelines
We offer risk mitigation, not risk elimination.
Traveling, done right, should take you out of your comfort zone.
It should shake up your perspectives and introduce you to new ideas, customs, places and people. We’re here to make sure it’s done safely.
We offer small group sizes and we don’t force shared occupancy.
If you become ill (Flu, COVID, or anything else) during the tour, we will not stop the trip or quarantine you (or others) unless your symptoms are severe.
The trip will simply go on and you’ll be asked to mask in the vehicle, whenever indoors, and keep away from all hotel staff out of respect.
This is because — given the close nature of of our tours, including being in a vehicle on lengthy drives — everyone will already be contaminated before someone shows their first symptom.
We encourage everyone who travels to keep up to date on ALL annual vaccines per the CDC guidelines.
As with all travel, we cannot eliminate all your risks on this tour. You’ll be asked to sign a waiver before you leave for this tour releasing us of all liability. Illness and travel mishaps are known risks that affect you each and every time you leave the house. This trip is no different. To join our group, it means you accept that.
Rest assured that if at any time and for any reason you require medical care we will get you to the nearest pharmacy, doctor, or medical facility as quickly and safely as possible.
We reserve the right to make decisions for you (and on behalf of the group) at all times.
If you are in an accident or you develop sickness symptoms that are severe, we will take you to the nearest hospital as we would for any emergency. If we think you can make it to a farther hospital that has better healthcare or is closer to our ground team, this is what we may choose to do so we can keep an eye on you.
If your symptoms are not severe but they warrant removal from the group (at the discretion of our staff or guides… maybe because you’re not managing your germs effectively and it’s effecting others on the trip), then you’ll be removed from the group and all expenses incurred getting you back to the airport will be your own.
If you’re coughing everywhere and wiping your germs on the seats, you can’t stay.
Health- and accident- related expenses are your responsibility. This is why it’s wise to purchase a travel insurance that covers them or otherwise be prepared to cover additional expenses on your own.
Travel insurance: We recommend purchasing travel insurance that covers pandemic cancellations and trip interruptions as well as one that covers you needing to cancel the trip before the trip takes place. See our cancel policy below…
We cannot eliminate all your risks on our tours. You need to be responsible for your own body, your belongings and your attitude.
All travel comes with risk. Especially abroad where camels/jaguars are wild animals, flights/bags get cancelled/rerouted and we’re in search of authentic experiences more than cookie cuter ones.
If you want a bus or hundreds/ thousands of people to run through the same itinerary week after week so that it’s perfect, these trips are not for you.
Focused Escapes offer…
Book in advance discounts
All seats include an extra discount for registering early.
More personal space
Small groups mean we can stay in local properties with fewer guests. The fewer the guests, the safer you are during a pandemic or flu season.
Smaller properties also tend to be more attentive to their guests’ needs, including health and safety measures.
Local help on the ground
Local help means we experience the country more fully and our money goes to local entrepreneurs instead of big corporations.
We build relationships with these local owners and they help us find unique experiences off the beaten tourist path.
No required room shares
Aside from an occasional destination that might feature a property forcing everyone to double-up, we don't require room shares on our tours. Everyone gets their own, personal space.
Flexible itineraries
With a small group, we can easily change our plans to accommodate for safety concerns and/or the weather.
This means we’re often invited to places larger groups are not -- like lunch with a local family or a shaman healing ceremony.
Perspective
Instead of picking countries from a bucket list, our destinations are handpicked for their cultural engagement & the physical interaction. They’re multi-sensory (food, images, relationships with locals) which gives travelers a greater understanding of themselves and more educated worldview.
Cancellation Policies…
If WE cancel a trip:
If we cancel a trip, you’ll have the opportunity to apply your fees to another tour, or get a refund.
While we can’t refund credit card processing fees, we can apply your FULL fees to another trip if you choose not to request a refund.
If YOU need to cancel a trip:
We highly encourage you to purchase comprehensive, cancel for any reason, travel insurance.
Your deposits are unequivocally non-refundable unless WE cancel a tour.
Cancellations from your end, made more than 6 months in advance receive a full refund minus your non-refundable deposit and credit card processing fees. (Example: $5,000 tour = $5,000 refund - $1,000 deposit - $200 credit card processing fees = $3,800).
Cancellations made 3-6 months before departure receive a 75% refund minus your non-refundable deposit and credit card processing fees (Example: $5,000 tour = $3,750 - $1,000 deposit - $200 processing fees = $2,550).
Cancellations made 60 and 89 days before departure receive a 50% refund minus your non-refundable deposit and credit card processing fees ($5,000 tour = $2,500 - $1,000 deposit - $200 processing fees = $1,300).
Cancellations between 30 and 59 days before departure receive a 25% refund minus your non-refundable deposit and credit card processing fees ($5,000 tour = $1,250 - $1,000 deposit - $200 processing fees = $500).
Cancellations within 29 days of departure, no refunds will be issued.
Final payments for all trips are due a minimum of 60 days before departure. 90 days for trips to some African countries.
Travel Insurance
I recommend purchasing travel insurance that covers pandemic cancellations and trip interruptions.
If you are planning a lot of travel in the next year, you might look into purchasing an annual policy from someone like Allianz to cover all your planned and unplanned adventures.
Most policies put a limit on how much they cover per trip. Please read your policy carefully or call them to discuss.
Medical evacuation insurance is different than normal trip insurance. Our guests typically choose MedJet for this. In the event of an emergency, they will either fly you home in first class (if doctors say your body can handle it). Or they will come and get you with a jet equipped with medical technology and personnel to assist in getting you home.
“I am not a typical ‘tour group’ traveler. I have no problem traveling throughout the US and Europe alone- setting my own itinerary and staying in vacation rentals off the beaten path.
I am not as brave when it comes to more 'exotic' locations, however.
There are many places I want to visit but am not comfortable going to them alone or even with my family. These places are safe, but to experience them authentically, you really need a local connection to get a true sense of the place safely. Someone to tell you what neighborhoods are safe, which are not- and at what times of the day. Someone who can navigate the local bureaucracies if you get hurt, in a fender bender, or some other travel mishap arises. Someone to make sure you don't pay 300% more then you should for your train ticket, or that you convinced a struggling merchant to accept $1 for a $20 souvenir.
Focused Escapes is the perfect solution for me. In every location they travel to, they have local contacts they work with to build the best Itinerary, provide guidance on local customs, recommend appropriate attire, and are right there should anything unexpected arise.
With focusedescapes I can keep exploring, without any worry.”
— Karen Kirkland
